Effect of the Hemin Molecular Complexes on the Structure and Properties of the Composite Electrospun Materials Based on Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

Biomimetic Materials Based on Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and Chlorophyll Derivatives

Electrospinning of biomimetic materials is of particular interest due to the possibility of producing flexible layers with highly developed surfaces from a wide range of polymers. Additionally, electrospinning is characterized by a high simplicity of implementation and the ability to modify the produced fibrous materials, which resemble structures found in living organisms. This study explores new electrospun materials based on polyhydroxyalkanoates, specifically poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, modified with chlorophyll derivatives. The research investigates the impact of chlorophyll derivatives on the morphology, supramolecular structure, and key properties of nonwoven materials. The obtained results are of interest for the development of new flexible materials with low concentrations of chlorophyll derivatives.

Development of Nonwoven Fibrous Materials Based on Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate with a High Content of α-Tricalcium Phosphate

α-tricalcium (α-TCP) phosphate is widely used as an osteoinductive biocompatible material, serving as an alternative to synthetic porous bone materials. The objective of this study is to obtain a highly filled fibrous nonwoven material composed of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and α-TCP and to investigate the morphology, structure, and properties of the composite obtained by the electrospinning method (ES). The addition of α-TCP had a significant effect on the supramolecular structure of the material, allowing it to control the crystallinity of the material, which was accompanied by changes in mechanical properties, FTIR spectra, and XRD curves. The obtained results open the way to the creation of new osteoconductive materials with a controlled release of the source of calcium into the living organism.

Biocompatibility and Antimicrobial Activity of Electrospun Fibrous Materials Based on PHB and Modified with Hemin

The effect of the hemin (Hmi) on the structure and properties of nanocomposite electrospun materials based on poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is discussed in the article. The additive significantly affected the morphology of fibers allowed to produce more elastic material and provided high antimicrobial activity. The article considers also the impact of the hemin on the biocompatibility of the nonwoven material based on PHB and the prospects for wound healing.

How the Nonwoven Polymer Volume Microstructure Is Transformed under Tension in an Aqueous Environment

The fibrous porous structure of polymers can mimic the extracellular matrix of the native tissue, therefore such polymers have a good potential for use in regenerative medicine. Organs and tissues within the body exhibit different mechanical properties depending on their functionality, thus artificial scaffolds should have mechanical behaviors similar to the extracellular matrix in conditions like living organisms, primarily in aqueous media. Several methods have been investigated in aquatic environments, including noninvasive techniques based on ultrasonic focused beams for biological objectives. In this study we explored the tensile behavior of poly(L-lactide) nonwoven polymer scaffolds using high-frequency ultrasound microscopy combined with a horizontal testing machine, which provided a visualization of the reorganization and transformation of the dynamic volume microstructure. The mechanisms of unwinding, elongation, orientation, and deformation of polymer fibers under uniaxial tension were revealed. We observed an association between the lined plastic deformation from 100 to 400% and the formation of multiple necks in the fibers, which caused stress relaxation and significant rarefaction of the fibrous microstructure. It was shown that both peaks on the stress–strain curve corresponded to the microstructure of aligned fibers in terms of initial diameter and thinning fibers. We discuss the possible influence of these microstructure transformations on cell behavior.

The Comparison of Advanced Electrospun Materials Based on Poly(-3-hydroxybutyrate) with Natural and Synthetic Additives

The comparison of the effect of porphyrins of natural and synthetic origin containing the same metal atom on the structure and properties of the semi-crystalline polymer matrix is of current concern. A large number of modifying additives and biodegradable polymers for biomedical purposes, composed of poly(-3-hydroxybutyrate)-porphyrin, are of particular interest because of the combination of their unique properties. The objective of this work are electrospun fibrous material based on poly(-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), hemin (Hmi), and tetraphenylporphyrin with iron (Fe(TPP)Cl). The structure of these new materials was investigated by methods such as optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Electron paramagnetic resonance method, and Differential scanning calorimetry. The properties of the electrospun materials were analyzed by mechanical and biological tests, and the wetting contact angle was measured. In this work, it was found that even small concentrations of porphyrin can increase the antimicrobial properties by 12 times, improve the physical and mechanical properties by at least 3.5 times, and vary hydrophobicity by at least 5%. At the same time, additives similar in the structure had an oppositely directed effect on the supramolecular structure, the composition of the crystalline, and the amorphous phases. The article considers assumptions about the nature of such differences due to the influence of Hmi and Fe(TPP)Cl) on the macromolecular and fibrous structure of PHB.